Given the wintry conditions both on land and on the "water" and the
paucity of visiting birders, Presqu'ile Provincial Park has been
remarkably productive in the past week.
As has been the case off and on all winter, MUTE SWANS by the hundreds,
a TRUMPETER SWAN, and a few TUNDRA SWANS have all been seen or heard in
the past week. Although there have been close to 1,000 ducks in
Presqu'ile Bay when there was sufficient open water, on other days the
numbers have been fewer than half that. Among others, there were one
CANVASBACK, two REDHEADS, and a RING-NECKED DUCK on January 14. A
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was present on January 15, and the male BARROW'S
GOLDENEYE at the lighthouse continues to be found with little difficulty
when conditions are favourable. There have been only two days in the
past 44 when no one reported it.
One, or sometimes two, BALD EAGLES have been seen fairly frequently
patrolling over Presqu'ile Bay. The previously reported PEREGRINE
FALCON was doing the same thing on January 16 and 19, occasionally
resting on the ice. One member of the WILD TURKEY pair that had been a
regular along Bayshore Road appears to have disappeared. Two GLAUCOUS
GULLS were among the HERRING and GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULLS on the ice
of Presqu'ile Bay on January 18.
A COMMON RAVEN was at the Park office on January 14. On at least three
days in the past week, most recently on January 18, several birders with
lots of patience and/or good ears have managed to see the BOREAL
CHICKADEE that was first noticed at 83 Bayshore Road on January 13. As
well as being re-located there, it has also been frequenting the spruces
beside the government dock and across the road from there. It is
surprisingly adept at remaining concealed in the upper branches of the
trees. The CAROLINA WREN at 186 Bayshore Road has appeared on each of
the past ten days, most regularly shortly after dawn but increasingly
throughout the day. There probably are also WINTER WRENS hiding in the
Park, but no one has reported seeing one lately. Twenty BOHEMIAN
WAXWINGS were just west of Atkins Lane today, and a CEDAR WAXWING was
with some AMERICAN ROBINS two days ago. Both WHITE-THROATED and
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS are at 83 Bayshore Road. SNOW BUNTINGS were on
Gull Island yesterday. Up to four RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS have been
visiting feeders along Bayshore Road. A few COMMON REDPOLLS and a
single PINE SISKIN were the only finches of note this week.
To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.
Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. The narrow channel between Owen
Point and Gull Island is now ice-covered most of the time, but the ice,
while appearing to be thick, might not support the weight of a human.
However, the water beneath the crust, if there is any, is only
ankle-deep. The surrounding shoreline can be very slippery. Birders are
encouraged to record their observations on the bird sightings board
provided near the campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park
and to fill out a rare bird report for species not listed there.
Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: [email protected].
--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road,
Brighton, Ontario, Canada, K0K 1H0
VOICE: (613) 475 5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park.
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to [email protected]
For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
